There were no new teachers in Columbia who signed the pledge on Jan. 1, according to an online pledge from the Zinn Education Project.
The pledge was signed by no teachers on Dec. 31, the day before. It now has 44 pledges from Columbia teachers.
They’re one of the thousands of US teachers pledging to continue educating students about the controversial Critical Race Theory, which explains racism is embedded in US culture and politics.
Comments from Columbia teachers included, “Knowing our history is the only way we keep our democracy. Just look at where ignorance has gotten us. We cannot lose to a group whose only goal is power and control” and “I grew up being told to lie about my family’s history and I won’t continue to allow this system to continue”.
Though the concept was first suggested in the late 70’s, it has recently exploded as a contentious issue between the American right and left in the last two years.
Many who signed the pledge are defying state bans on the teachings. Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas have passed legislation banning discussions about the US being inherently racist.
Other states, such as Montana and South Dakota, have denounced the teachings without passing specific legislation.
In an interview with The Washington Free Beacon‘, Ashley Varner of the Freedom Foundation accused the Zinn Education Project of providing “left-leaning propaganda to teachers.”
| Teachers | Thoughts on Critical Race Theory |
|---|---|
| Aishia Greene | No comment |
| Alexa Chestnut | No comment |
| Alexis Miller | No comment |
| Amber Gonzalez | I grew up being told to lie about my family’s history and I won’t continue to allow this system to continue. |
| Andrew McIntyre | We need to teach the truth about this country. |
| Ashley McCrady | Censoring the past hinders compassion and critical thinking. |
| Bill Cupp | No comment |
| Burnett Gallman | Racism is alive and well and thrives in America, the bastion of white supremacy. |
| Casey Schoenborn | No comment |
| Christina Zastrow | Because teaching real, authentic, and meaningful history is important. |
| Claire Majerus | Racism is systemic. The only chance we have at eradicating it is to teach children the truth. |
| Erika Chavarría | No comment |
| Gloria Boutte | I believe in the democratic principle of freedom of speech. History should not be whitewashed. |
| Gloria Boutte | This is a democracy where all people should Be invited to the table.. This is not a totalitarian government where voices should be suppressed |
| Gloria Boutte | This is a democracy where multiple voices need to be included. |
| Hannah Nandor | No comment |
| Jacqueline Arnold | Teachers are getting doxxed online for trying to support our students’ rights to their own history. I am tired of the truth being buried. |
| Janice Morris | There is ONE truth about the history of the USA whether or not the white Republican establishment wants to acknowledge it! |
| Jessica Cummings | The truth is important. |
| Jessica Saltat | I made a vow to teach ALL students. I cannot adequately do my job for the ALL without teaching the truth of the struggles that so many of our citizens have withstood. It is our job as educators to teach the whole truth. Even when it may be uncomfortable. Our students deserve the right to knowledge as a whole to form their own opinions. |
| Jill Walters | Our children should be learning the entirety of our country’s history, so that future generations can learn from our past. |
| Johanna Hebert | Knowing our history is the only way we keep our democracy. Just look at where ignorance has gotten us. We cannot lose to a group whose only goal is power and control. |
| Kathleen Burns | I care about my students. |
| Katie Dunne | Our students deserve a full, unbiased account of our nation’s history in order to become critical thinkers and well-educated members of society. |
| Katie Sipho | No comment |
| Katie Sipho | Students deserve to be taught accurate history, including the ugliness of racism, sexism, etc., so that we can do better in the future. |
| Kerri Stith | We must teach everyone the true history |
| Kristina Detmer | Our democracy and freedom, as envisioned by our country’s founders, depend on an educated population making informed decisions. Censorship benefits only those who want to destroy democracy. |
| Lauren Hermann | I will ensure my students are prepared to be highly effective educators, meaning they are well versed in accurate understandings of history and will utilize quality pedagogical practices to ensure all identities are welcomed and accepted and taught within their classrooms. |
| Leia Brooks | the truth matters; no matter what legislators or ill-informed people think. As an educator, it is my job to provide the truth and encourage students to think critically. |
| Linda Vandepopuliere | It is critical that accurate and truthful history be taught. Students need to understand the past in order to understand our present situation and to make a better future. |
| Lindsey Mueller | As a parent and an educator, I want my children to be taught and learn the good, bad, and ugly truths of our history to continues e to help our country grown and evolve into a stronger more united country. We cannot learn for the past if we ignore it. |
| MacKenzie Everett-Kennedy | Teaching history based in truth matters. |
| Mike Lewis | Teachers have the right to create curriculum appropriate for their students. Teachers are professionals and have been trained to do this. For the State to dictate to teachers how to teach and what to teach sounds like a Stalinist approach to education. If the teacher’s can’t be creative to teach the students what they need, how will the students be creative to provide the solutions to the problems they will encounter in their lives |
| Paula Feldman | Legislators should not require teachers to lie to their students or suppress the truth. |
| Samuel Cohen | No comment |
| Sarah Henley | No comment |
| Shakealia Finley | No comment |
| Shanna Barkume | No comment |
| Shira Levy | No comment |
| Sidney Dace | No comment |
| Susan Hunter | History should be taught so we can learn from it. |
| Susanne Sawyer | No comment |
| Tricia Price | If we don’t take an honest look at our history, the good and the bad, we will only repeat the mistakes our ancestors made. Students need to hear multiple perspectives and learn to think critically about information in order to make better decisions as adults. |
